Brie Larson

A striking young actress gifted well beyond her years, Brie Larson cut her professional teeth with television roles on shows like "Raising Dad" (The WB, 2001-02) and "Right on Track" (Disney Channel,...
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Missed the first episode? Watch it here!
S3S1: The first season of United States of Tara drew me into this crazy world of the Gregsons' and held me there because it didn’t go anywhere. It was simply satisfied to sit by and try and figure out who Tara is/was/will be. But then season two happened and something went astray. The plot became jumpy, bouncing back and forth with little care for the consequences. I wasn't about to give it up, but it didn't grab me the way the first one did. However, three looks to jump back and become a stronger season. There are some incredible visuals, sharp dialogue, and Eddie Izzard makes for a very fine guest star. While I am less interested in the cause of Tara’s condition (for instance, what does she expect to happen when she figures it out? That she’ll be better instantly? All it will do is help her recover herself and then we’ll be back with the self reflection or as I like to call it, the good stuff), it does play a critical part in the good stuff.
Basically, if you even remotely dug the first two seasons, the third one continues in fine form.
"I’m sick of being the least interesting person inside of me" -Tara
As for the rest of the family, Marshall is dealing with his new boyfriend Lionel. Blah, blah, blah, this is all set up for stuff that happens later so not much to recap. Kate tries to find a job elsewhere but is haunted by her internet past. Those darn internets, always keeping kids from getting jobs. Max was kind of left out of this episode, but fear not.
One last thing -- the opening credit sequence is gone. Thoughts? I was always a fan of it, but after re-watching all of season two in a few days, I got kind of tired of it. Honestly, one morning I woke up singing the last line over and over and it's not that fun. It’s one of the more beautiful credit sequences, but removing it frees up a whole minute of other fun stuff we can get into. Alas, we have a catch-22.

So did you forget that yesterday was Monday? I know Rebecca Black only taught everyone how Thursday through Sunday works, so that's understandable. Well, if you forgot it was Monday, you probably were out doing something ridiculous and you may have missed the premiere of United States of Tara and guess what? That's okay, because we have the WHOLE DAMN THING right here, right now. You're welcome. We'll accept your eternal gratitude as repayment.

21 Jump Street has found its leading lady: Brie Larson.
The actress joins Jonah Hill, Channing Tatum and Ice Cube in the flick, a reboot of the '80s television show that centered on young cops working in high schools and colleges (and, perhaps most famously, launched Johnny Depp's career). Hill penned the picture with his writing partner Michael Bacall and it will be directed by Phil Lord and Chris Miller.
Larson comes from a background based in television, gaining notoriety from a role in the Showtime series United States of Tara. But folks might also recognize her from appearances in last years' films Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World and Greenberg, which showcased her ability to channel everything from Edgar Wright's over-the-top and in-your-face action to Noah Baumbach's sensitivity. In short? The girl can act.
Source: Deadline

Due to high winds, the beach football clash was brought indoors but the stars still dazzled with Josh Duhamel, Hayden Panettiere, Brie Larson, Jessica Szohr and supermodel Marisa Miller taking part in the athletic showdown.
Ferrara's Team Spike won the 2011 encounter 27-25 over his Entourage castmate Kevin Dillon's Palladia HD squad.

The romantic action comedy Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is like nothing — and if you’re a person between the age of approximately 18 to 35 everything — you’ve seen before. British director Edgar Wright’s (Shaun of the Dead Hot Fuzz) adaptation of Bryan Lee O’Malley graphic novel is so densely laden with pop-culture references it often times feels less like a movie than a mixtape. Those who share the tastes of the film’s 31-year-old writer and 35-year-old director will find the experience to be exhilarating; those who don’t however will likely be at a loss to comprehend what all the fuss is about.
The list of ‘80s and ‘90s video game nods in Pilgrim alone is daunting: Tekken Super Mario Bros. Tetris Zelda and even retro titles like Galaga and Ms. Pac-Man are represented just to name a few. To fit all of it in Wright must practically invent a brand-new kind of filmmaking. Using techniques and iconography culled from the holy fanboy triumvirate of comic books video games and anime/manga and armed with a clearly generous effects budget he splatters the screen with a dazzling array of CGI visual aids as the action unfolds: informational pop-ups supply key details on each character as they are introduced; words like “Boom!” and “Pow!” burst forth when blows are landed during fight sequences; a “Level Up!” graphic indicating increased levels of key character attributes appears after the film’s hero triumphs in battle. Even the old Universal Studios logo has been revamped by Wright rendered in the rudimentary graphics and sound of the old 8-bit Nintendo Entertainment System. Call it easter-egg filmmaking.
At the center of this digital maelstrom is Scott Pilgrim a 22-year-old Canadian hipster waif played by 22-year-old Canadian hipster waif Michael Cera. Unemployed and in no great rush to find work he splits his time evenly between jamming with his middling band Sex Bob-Omb (a Super Mario Bros. reference) combing thrift shops for new additions to his near-limitless collection of ironic t-shirts and pining for Ramona Flowers (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) a beguiling New York City emigre whose signature attribute is her constantly-changing hair color.
After a few abortive encounters Scott finally gets Ramona to reciprocate his affections. Thus begins the quest — or "campaign " as gamers call it — portion of the film as Scott soon discovers that in order to secure Ramona’s hand he must defeat each of her seven evil exes (six boys and one girl) in spontaneous death matches of decreasing novelty. (A few of them could easily have been excised without harming the narrative but that might invite the ire of comic book fans who typically demand nothing less than absolute adherence to the source text.) With a variety of found power-ups and an entirely implausible collection of fancy kung-fu moves he faces off against among others a pompous vegan straight-edge (Brandon Routh) a self-absorbed action star (Chris Evans) a spiteful lesbian (Mae Whitman) and a smarmy record producer (Jason Schwartzman).
I expect Scott Pilgrim vs. the World will polarize audiences and not just because of Wright’s distinctively dizzying directorial style. (Which I thoroughly enjoyed even though it occasionally overdoses on manufactured quirk and is a bit too proud of its cleverness.) The film glosses over Scott and Ramona’s wooing process in its rush to commence with its succession of comic-book battles which grow somewhat tedious toward the end. It’s simply assumed that Ramona would fall for our protagonist as it’s likewise assumed that we already have. But not everyone will embrace Scott’s castrati hipster affect which too often comes across as grating rather than charming. (The movie’s funniest moments come courtesy of Scott’s sassy gay roommate played by Kieran Culkin who is never without a clever barb for his lovelorn pal.) And beneath Cera’s self-effacing sheen exists an unmistakable whiff of pretentiousness that isn’t entirely justified — at least not yet. Far less debatable is the appeal of Winstead whose spunky Ramona appears every bit worth the hassle of fending off seven or more ex-lovers.
God knows what she sees in him.

Based on Carl Hiaasen’s Newbery Honor-winning novel the story follows Roy (Logan Lerman) a middle-schooler who has had to move around a lot because of his father’s job. When he moves from his beloved Montana to Florida it’s a big culture shock. But then he hooks up with a tomboy (Brie Larson) and her wild child stepbrother (Cody Linley) and together they unearth a disturbing threat to a local population of endangered owls (and the birds are really cute too) by greedy land developers. Now along with his new friends and a local cop (Luke Wilson) Roy has a new mission in life--to prevent the adults from destroying precious wildlife. I wish I could say Hoot really is a hoot but unfortunately it really isn’t. The three young performers handle most of the action with aplomb. Lerman (TV’s Jack and Bobby) leads things off as the wandering Roy portraying a character with a surprisingly kind disposition considering how many times he has been uprooted in his life. Larson (Sleepover) plays the tough Beatrice who’s all about protecting the ones she loves with plenty of scowls and quick punches. Linley (Cheaper by the Dozen) turns in a dreamy Teen Beat-ready performance as Mullet Fingers a runaway who is the main instigator in trying to stop the land developers. As for the adults Wilson sort of phones it in as the bumbling cop while Tim Blake Nelson (O Brother Where Art Thou?) and Clark Gregg (In Good Company) play the villains--one dumb as a post and the other a slimy weasel respectively. Hoot is a pleasant enough family comedy teaching us to appreciate and protect our environment--even if that means putting alligators in port-o-potties to scare off the developers. A little harmless sabotaging never hurt anyone especially if it means protecting those adorable little burrowing owls. Actor/TV director Wil Shriner adequately takes the helm in his first stab at feature films and even singer Jimmy Buffett--an avid Floridian--gets in the act not only providing the soundtrack but also as one of the film’s producers. Still there are problems with Hoot. It’s always hard to criticize a film which is nothing but good clean fun and provides positive messages--but unlike Holes which has a very quirky sensibility Hoot is well sort of bland. The trite dialogue is at times cringe-worthy and the comedy sophomoric. It would have been better suited as a made-for-TV movie on Nickelodeon.

Bobby Garfield (David Morse) returns to his small hometown to attend the funeral of his childhood friend and remembers the fateful summer in 1960 when his whole world changed. The story flashes back to when 11-year-old Bobby (Anton Yelchin) and his best friends Carol (Mika Boorem) and Sully-John (Will Rothhaar) capture the pure joy of youthfulness. When a mysterious stranger named Ted Brautigan (Anthony Hopkins) moves upstairs and starts to pay attention to Bobby the boy suddenly realizes what's truly missing from his life--the love of a parent. Bobby's mother Liz (Hope Davis) is embittered by the death of Bobby's father and shows little compassion for her son's growing needs. Ted fills a void with the boy opening his eyes to the world around him and helps Bobby come to terms with his real feelings for Carol--and his mother. But Ted also has some deep dark secrets of his own and Bobby tries hard to stop danger from reaching the old man.
The performances make the film especially in the genuine camaraderie of the kids. Yelchin Boorem and Rothhaar never deliver a false move with an easiness that makes us believe we are simply watching three 11-year-old children grow up together. Yelchin in particular is able to get right to the heart of this young boy who misses his father and clings to the only adult who will listen. And his scenes with Boorem simply break your heart. (Davis) does an admirable job playing a part none too sympathetic. She manages to show a woman whose been beaten down but who does truly love her son in her own way. Morse too is one of those character actors you can plug in any movie and get a performance worth noting. In Hearts you want to see more of him. Of course the film shines brightest when Hopkins is on the screen. It may not be an Oscar-caliber performance but the actor is unparalleled in bringing a character to life--showing the subtleties of an old man looking for some peace in his life.
If you are expecting the Stephen King novel you may be disappointed. Screenwriter William Goldman and director Scott Hicks (Shine) deftly extracted the King formula of telling a story through a child's eye and explaining how the relationships formed as a child shaped the adult later. Hicks did an amazing job with his young actors especially Yelchin and Boorem. But where the novel continued into a supernatural theme explaining Brautigan's fear of being captured by "low men in yellow coats" (a reference to King's The Dark Tower series) the movie downplayed the mystical elements instead giving real explanations for Brautigan's man-on-the-run. That was the one problem with Hearts--we needed more danger. Introducing men from another dimension may not have been the way to go but had there been more tension the film would have resonated more especially when Bobby risked his own safety to save Ted.

Made acting debut as Courtney Enders in Disney Channel Original Movie "Right on Track"

Released debut album Finally Out of P.E.

After recording a few tracks, signed to Casablanca Records

Co-starred with a large cast of teen actors in adventure film "Sleepover"

Acted opposite Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill in big screen reboot of "21 Jump Street," based on 1980s Fox series

Featured in the drama "The Spectacular Now"

Played one of the three leads in "Hoot" opposite Logan Lerman and Cody Linley; also co-wrote and performed "Coming Around" for soundtrack

Summary

A striking young actress gifted well beyond her years, Brie Larson cut her professional teeth with television roles on shows like "Raising Dad" (The WB, 2001-02) and "Right on Track" (Disney Channel, 2003) and scored tween-friendly hits by appearing in the feature films "13 Going on 30" (2004), "Sleepover" (2004) and "Hoot" (2006). She made the transition from child star to grown-up actress smoothly, earning acclaim for her turns in such movies as "Scott Pilgrim vs. the World" (2010) and "21 Jump Street" (2012) and impressed critics with her nuanced turn as Toni Collette's self-destructive daughter on "The United States of Tara" (Showtime, 2009-2011). Critics dubbed her the "It" girl of SXSW 2013 for her flurry of high-profile projects, particularly her raved-about, star-making lead role in the drama "Short Term 12" (2013), which earned her serious award buzz. One of the rare talents who only improved with age, Brie Larson gave critics and fans ample reason to expect her to reach even greater artistic heights over time.